Pinless clothes-line.



A C. COCHRANE.

PINLESS CLOTHES LNE. APPLIOATION FILBDMAY 2z, 1912,.

Patented M1225, 1913.

CHARLES COCHRANE, CINCINNATI, 4OHIO.

FINLESS CLOTHES-LINE.

restais.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

rai-.enten Mar. 25, 191 a.

Application. filed May 22, 1912.v Serial No. 699,043.

To all whom t may conca/Mi:

Be it known that I, CHARLES a citizen of the United States, residing atCincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have inventeda. new and useful 4Pinless Clothes-Line, of whichthe following is aspecification.

This invention relates to clothes lines, and

contemplates a clothes line made up of a plurality of wire. sections,whichembody i means for engaging the clothes and other textiles orfabrics, the sections being adapt ed to be folded together or collapsedwhen the line is not in use in order that the same may be stored awaywithin a small compass.

The present invention also aims to provide an improved line of thecharacter indicated wherein the sections are constructed in a novelmanner, each section embodying a straight draft strand Awhich receivesthe entire tension of the line as a whole, and means cooperating with.the said strandfor receiving and clamping the clothes, textiles, fabricsor the like.

To the above and other ends, the invention resides in the novelconstruction andcombination of parts hereinafter set forth andparticularly pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing wherein the invention is illustrated, andwherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a clothes line constructed inaccordance with the present invention. Figs. 2, Sand t are segmentalviews in plane of one section of the line. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 aresectional views taken on the lines 5 5, 6 6 and 7--7 of Figs. 2, 3 and4, respectively. FigvS is a ift ""1 side elevation of a modified form ofa line section.' y

Referring specifically to the drawings,

wherein corresponding reference charactershave been employed to denotesimilar parts, each section of the line is constructedof a single lengthof wire of suitable quality and gage, and which maybe plated, oxidizedor otherwise finished for purpose of appearance and t-o preventcorrosion. Each of the sections embodies a straight draft strandv 10 ofsuitable length which is bent back at its ends to form eyes, the bentback portions being designated by the numerals 13 and 13ZL and the bentback portion 132L constituting one terminal vof the wire. The wire fromthe bent back portion 13 is wound COCHRANE,

tightly around the strand 10 at intervals along the length thereof toprovide the wound portions 14 and 14h, respectively, ad jacent the endsof the strand 10 and the intermediate wound portion 14?, and from thesaid wound portions, the wire is directed radially or upward from thestrand 10, the wound portions 14 and 14h having the respective singlefingers 15 and 15c projecting therefroml and the intermediate l woundportion 14ea having the two complementary fingers 15u and 15b projectingtherefrom in a direction similar to that of the aforementioned lingers.The intermediate orclamping strands connecting the free ends of therespective pairs of fingers 15-'15a and'lb-lc are twisted around thestrand l() intermediate the lingers of the respective pairs, therespective strands connet-ting the said pairs of lingers beingdesignated byl the numerals 17 and 17u. These strands 17 and 17a arewound once and a half around the strand 10, so as to provide longintermediate turns loosely embracing the draft strand, while it isunderstood that the said strands 17 and 172l may be wound around thestrand 1() any suitable number of times. The portions of the strands 17and 17 which connect the twisted portions thereof with the respectivefingers 15, 15, 15b and 15c have lbeen designated .by the numeral 16,these port-ions 16 and the vcorresponding fingers forming loops withthe. strand 10. The bent back portion or terminal' 13 of the wire hasthe other terminal wound around same and over the strand l0, the latterterminal constituting the wound port-ion 14, and the bent back portionor terminal 18 is hooked over the wound portion 14h, as designated bythe numeral 12. The adjoining eyes 13'and 13* of the .sections areconnected by rings 11.

In use, the line may be supported by the means vof the endmost-rings 11,and it will be noted that theentire strain ,or tension` l Aturns beingadapted to yield throughouttheir lengths. When the clothes or textileshave been received bythe strands 10 and the' twisted strands, the samewill be supported from the line in an effective and convenient mannerwithoutthe assistance of the usual clothes pins or other clips. Then theclothes are inserted between the clamping strands and the draft strand,the respective pairsof fingers are designed to flex toward each otherdue to the separation of the clamping strands from the draft strand,which is desirable in order to prevent the bending or twisting ofthe'draft strand, the fingers being flexible to return the clampingstrands against the draft strand after the clothes have been removed. Ifdesired, the twisted vportions of the strands 17 and 17n may be openedrelative t'ovthe st randlO by pressing the portions 16 toward the strand10 so that the clothes or textiles may be readily received between thetwisted strands and the strand l0. Inasmuch asfthe entire strain ordraft of the line is on the strands l0, the strands 17 and 17u will berelieved from any strain or draft to which the line is subjected andserve solely to clamp the clothes or textiles to the strands 10.

IVhen the line is not in use, be readily folded or collapsed by swingingthe various sections together, this being cxpedited by means of therings 1l which connect the sections together so that the sec tions l2may readily fold together in a smallcompass without twisting, bending orotherwise distorting any of the sections.

the same may A clothes line constructed in accordance with the presentinvention will be substantial as well as convenient in use, and providesa desirable substitute for the ordinary clothes line and clothes pins.

In the form shown in Fig. 8 the section is of slightly modified form butembodies the same principles, there being three of the strands 17,'17eand 17b provided which merely pass under the strand l0 but which arecapable of receiving and clamping the clothes and textiles in the samemanner as the foregoing form.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is A clothes linelink fashioned from a length of wire to provide a straight draft strandhaving eyes at its ends, a finger attached rigidly to the draft strandadjacent each' eye, complementary ngers attached rigidly to the draftstrand at an intermediate point,

the fingers all projecting in one direction, andfclamping strandsconnect-ing the outer ends of the end fingers and the outer ends of therespective intermediate fingers, each clamping strand havingintermediate long turns loosely embracing the draft strand in order thatthe turns of the clamping strands may yield throughout their lengths.`

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES COCHRANE.

Witnesses A. F. MORRISON, Orro SPANGENBERG.

